Grey eminence: Senior professionals play a big role in shaping post-pandemic workplaces

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. As businesses navigate the future of work in the post-pandemic era, the return to physical offices is being touted as essential for rebuilding culture and collaboration. At the heart of this shift lies an untapped asset—the silver generation of professionals aged 50 and above.

Beyond fostering culture and collaboration, their influence can drive retention, innovation and even bottom-line results—creating firms that are not only productive but resilient. At a macro level, it is estimated that a 10% increase in trust is associated with a 1.3% to 1.5% rise in economic productivity. At a firm level, employees who feel more connected with their colleagues are 1.5x more engaged with their workplace.

But what does culture really mean in a firm context? It’s not only about workers interacting with each other or with external partners and clients, but also the nature of these interactions and the terms and principles by which these interactions take place. Younger workers often follow cues from experienced colleagues, whose influence shapes firm culture and behaviour. While individuals might have varying styles of working, influence is rarely distributed equally; some workers shape the behaviour and attitudes of others more profoundly.

This interaction is where social capital comes into play—the notion that positive value can be derived from connections between individuals or groups. Social capital manifests in different ways, especially in trust-building acts, such as delegating client relationships to subordinates, publicly acknowledging colleagues’ hard work and efforts, or extending payment terms for old clients. The silver generation is typically a holder of social capital, and can